Ludwig Scale: This is the most common classification for female pattern hair loss. There are 3 stages (ranging from mild hair loss to extensive, severe widespread thinning) and in each stage hair loss occurs on the front and top of the scalp with relative preservation of the frontal hairline. Regardless of the extent of hair loss, only women with stable hair on the back and sides of the scalp are candidates for hair transplant surgery.

Its been 1.5 years since my problem started. I noticed first the texture became course or wiry. Then I wore a hair net and hard hat for 8 years I don’t know if that helped with my condition or not. Then I went to got my hair highlighted within 1 week my hair broke off to 1/2″ just in front the rest was full. Since then I have tried all kinds of hair therapy. The texture changed to being normal but I have Nice shiny almost bald spot on my head. Nothing I tried helped in regrowth. Went over all my mess with my doctor she said no should damage my hair. Also it grows but as soon as it starts looking decent I have breakage. What to do what to do.

Around 30 million U.S. women will experience hereditary hair loss, or female pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia), while others will struggle with situational hair loss, brought on by medical conditions, medications, poor health and nutrition, environmental factors such as smoking and sun damage, or even from adverse reactions to hair care products or treatments.
My hair was healthy. No split ends and thick and tame – I could not break it. The healthy condition of my hair may be the reason that I didn’t loose all of it. My hair loss was due to a “HAIR DESTROYER” causing chemical damage, burning my scalp and my hair ( I think she used a product banned in Australia). I had bald spots on my crown the size of 50 cent pieces and the rest of my hair was singed. I lost my hair gloss, I was left with hair that was as thin a rice paper and breaking everywhere. I had severe itching on my scalp for two years. Not pleasant. I cursed her every day and still do. I bought myself a pair of hairdressing scissors and cut as much hair off as I could; and chipped into it everywhere. I do this every two weeks. Hence I will never go to a hair dresser again and have not colored my hair since December 2012 – I asked for Brown on Brown 10 vol – how could an idiot of a hair destroyer (dresser) get it so wrong. As much as 30 percent of women will experience some sort of hair thinning, usually first noticed with age as a skinnier ponytail or a little more visible scalp peeking out. Thick hair screams “youth,” which makes thinning a tough pill to swallow. But there are many ways you can help slow down thinning and hair loss, from eating the right foods to cutting back on stress, even strategically styling your locks. Here, seven ways to stave off hair loss and keep your ‘do looking young and healthy for longer. I am 30 and am trying Rogaine and spironolactone but only stopped the loss and I want to try Propecia. I know about the side effects for a male fetus, but I have chosen myself that I do not ever want to create a child out of my body. I will adopt or foster, but have intense lockeophobia. I even agreed to sign a legal document saying such, but my doctor would still not prescribe me propecia unless I had had a hysterectomy. He said it was for safety reasons, but as far as I understand it the only safety issue would be to such a fetus that will not exist. So I am confused about his reservations. Happily divorced in 2006. Coming up to my 52nd birthday, my hair is thin and fine, my hairdresser just shakes her head. In pictures all you see is scalp with a faint nimbus that is what’s left of my hair. Lost my job in December. When I interview, no one looks me in the eyes… they talk to my nearly naked scalp. So here I am, wanting to date and find work, and feel constantly judged because of an outward manifestation of something that’s happening inside of (what appears to be) a healthy body. It looks like I’m on chemo, or at the affect of some kind of some huge illness or medication… and shunned. How much of my self-image is subliminally dictated by my lack of hair… working on that with my therapist. LOL!! And though this treatment appears to be safe and somewhat effective, it’s hard to tell who will react well to this low-level light therapy, which is why the doctors I spoke with were hesitant to fully endorse it. “We’re not sure what the optimal power is, what the optimal wavelength is, we don’t even really know the mechanism of action of how this is working,” says Rieder. Plus, it doesn’t work on everyone. “There are subpopulations of patients who do respond to low-level laser light, but this is not easily predictable,” explains McMichael, though she adds that the risk of using the LaserComb is low. Playing around with your haircut can sometimes mask the issue, so talk to your stylist about a style that will add volume and bounce, making hair appear thicker. Simply shifting your part can work wonders, and changing up your color can help, too. Light reflects more off lighter hair, so the color provides less contrast between the hair and the scalp, concealing any empty patches. Additionally, a light perm or wave will give hair more body and make it look thicker, and frequent trims will help prevent breakage. ^ Lenane P, Pope E, Krafchik B (February 2005). "Congenital alopecia areata". Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (Case Reports. Review). 52 (2 Suppl 1): 8–11. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2004.06.024. PMID 15692503. We believe AA should be classified not only as an acquired but also a congenital form of nonscarring hair loss. It may well be more common than is thought because of lack of recognition Almost all hair loss in guys results from male-pattern baldness, a genetic trait that comes from your parents. Other causes include certain medications, too much vitamin A, or not enough protein. Illness or stress can lead to sudden, heavy shedding called telogen effluvium. Good news, though: Hair loss that isn’t from male-pattern baldness often reverses itself.
I am 45 years-old and started noticing a thinning of my hair about 2 years ago. I did see a dermatologist specialized in hair loss and was only prescribed a testosterone lab test which came back normal. My scalp is vey itchy but I do not have dandruff or any signs of dry skin. It sometimes hurts so bad I wake up at night. I was prescribed a steroid shampoo and a steroid lotion which have helped calm down the itchiness and pain if used regularly. I was diagnosed with Female baldness (mostly on the top which is really thin now) and dermatitis. not further explanations. I was also prescribed Rogaine 5% and a mixture of Rogaine and RA to use every 3 days. once a day. should I start using them twice a day? its only been 3 months and I have not noticed a change. I accepted a job to work from home because I was getting too self conscious to go to work at the office. I am very concerned by my appearance usually but this hair loss is a constant worry. Each hair develops from a follicle — a narrow pocket in the skin — and goes through three phases of growth. Anagen (A), the active growth phase, lasts two to seven years. Catagen (), the transition phase, lasts about two weeks. During this phase, the hair shaft moves upward toward the skin's surface, and the dermal papilla (the structure that nourishes cells that give rise to hair) begins to separate from the follicle. Telogen (C), the resting phase, lasts around three months and culminates in the shedding of the hair shaft. Harklinikken (“hair clinic” in Danish) inspires great loyalty. Four out of five users come as referrals from satisfied customers, said Lars Skjoth, the company’s founder and chief scientist. The results are certainly compelling. After four months of daily application — that is, working the tea-colored tonic into the hair section by section, then letting it sit on the scalp for six hours — most users regain at least 30 percent of lost density, and some as much as 60 percent, according to company figures.
A hair restoration is a surgical procedure, but per government regulations, any physician of any background with a valid medical license, regardless of training, presence or lack of any board certificate in anything at all, is permitted to call themselves a "hair restoration surgeon." For instance, a psychiatrist, who has not even seen a surgical instrument in 20 years, can tomorrow decide that he would like to be a hair restoration surgeon, and offer the surgery to the public. Therefore it is important to make sure your surgeon has actual surgery training, which is usually a 5 to 7 year course of intense training in the years immediately following medical school, and upon successful completion, surgeons receive a board certificate in their chosen specialty. As much as 30 percent of women will experience some sort of hair thinning, usually first noticed with age as a skinnier ponytail or a little more visible scalp peeking out. Thick hair screams “youth,” which makes thinning a tough pill to swallow. But there are many ways you can help slow down thinning and hair loss, from eating the right foods to cutting back on stress, even strategically styling your locks. Here, seven ways to stave off hair loss and keep your ‘do looking young and healthy for longer. I’m going to see an endocrinologist, a trichologist, a hematologist and a gastroenterologist and maybe this Dr. Redmond. I’m done with ‘hair loss experts’ pushing cosmetic surgery and trying the all around approach. My insurance is crap, but….Anyway, thanks all for your stories and knowing I’m not alone in hair loss and the fight against disinterested medical establishment. xxx God Loves YOU he has the best on his mind for you. Just think all the people we are helping by giving our own testimonies. There are so many people going through this more than we can imagine. Thank you for sharing your story. It has helped me very much. I think its important to be sad, be mad, and then move on because dwelling on it all the time can bring you down…Everything we go thru in life happens for a reason. We have to love ourselves inside out. And learn from all of these experiences including hair loss! Anything is possible with those who believe! Believe in your restoration of health Isaiah 53! GOD BLESS YOU!

Hi I need help I am not sure what doctor I need to see, one day I started to have lots of back pain and my lower left side real bad I went to bed and when i shower lots of my hari started to fall off, I mean I loose my hair but not as much and I just wanted to cry when I saw lots and lots coming out. My hair is so thin now and you can see the bald spots im ony 35 and Im not sure if its my hormones or not. Can someone help me and let me know which doctor is best to see for hair loss

Thank you for all your post. My daughter had extremely thick hair about eight years ago. It was so thick you could barely put it in a scrunchie. Her hair has been continuously thinning to the point that you can see through it. All the women in my family on both sides have extremely thick hair. We live in the north east and have seen several GP and a Dermatologist who act like there is nothing wrong. I work in the medical field and when I hear this I get so mad because I feel like they want to just brush of like no big deal. It is a big deal to all women no matter what ages. I have written done some of the post advise and will continue to look for an endocrinologist for her. Please keep me postes on any new developements. Once male-pattern baldness starts, it’s not going to stop until every last hair on your head has shrunk or shed, though the rate at which this happens differs from person to person and depends on genetics. And since the grind of hair loss is unending, it’s important to start treatment as soon as your hairline starts bothering you. If you’re looking for a more quantitative metric, Dr. Paul McAndrews, clinical professor of dermatology at the USC School of Medicine and member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, assures me that “you have to lose half your hair before the human eye can tell.” (Of course, if you don’t care about losing your hair and are fine with going full Prince William and shaving your head, go for it. We’ve got some recommendations for razors and hair trimmers to help you out on that front.) What a helpful website, thank you ladies for sharing. I am 55 and am loosing hair by handfuls when I shampoo. I have been using Minoxodil extra strength for about 5 years and it was helping but not anymore. I also have been taking Nioxin hair vitamins and they helped for the first 3 years but not now. I am going to check out Dr Redmond like several of you recommended and head to Sallys for hair extensions also. Does anyone know of a good Dermotologist or Endo Dr. in Humble or Kingwood Tx area? Karen
Many other agents have been used to treat alopecia areata, including minoxidil, psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA), and anthralin (Anthra-Derm), but success rates vary. Anthralin, an anti-psoriatic, in combination with topical corticosteroids and/or minoxidil, is a good choice for use in children and those with extensive disease because it is relatively easy to use and clinical irritation may not be required for efficacy.6 Hairpieces and transplants may be the only options available for persons with severe disease that remains unresponsive to available medical treatments. Patients with recalcitrant, recurrent, or severe disease should be referred to a subspecialist. Just found this site today and want to thank everyone who is sharing. I don’t have the words for how devastated I feel about losing my beautiful, beautiful hair. Thank you for the information and fellowship here. I have a wonderful internist, but she hasn’t been able to help, (been dealing with PCOS for 12 years now and severe hair loss since Feb 2008). Will be looking for an endocrinologist and a dermatologist now too. Hope I can give back some day with good news.
Hair is a cutaneous appendage - just like sweat glands and oil glands. As a result, dermatologists treat ALL forms of hair loss not just the most common form, androgenetic alopecia. There are many forms of alopecia - alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, lichen planopilaris, congenital hypotrichosis.....to name a few. The treatment and management of all hair loss disorders is an integral part of a dermatologist's training and board certification. -Dr. Keaney The characteristic finding of alopecia areata is one or more well-circumscribed areas of otherwise normal, hairless skin in hair-bearing areas. Occasionally, it may be necessary to biopsy the scalp to confirm the diagnosis. Other findings that may be helpful are the appearance of short hairs that presumably represent fractured hairs, short thin hairs, and gray hair growing in a bald area. Other causes of hair loss are generally excluded from the consideration by history and clinical evaluation.

As much as 30 percent of women will experience some sort of hair thinning, usually first noticed with age as a skinnier ponytail or a little more visible scalp peeking out. Thick hair screams “youth,” which makes thinning a tough pill to swallow. But there are many ways you can help slow down thinning and hair loss, from eating the right foods to cutting back on stress, even strategically styling your locks. Here, seven ways to stave off hair loss and keep your ‘do looking young and healthy for longer.

Conclusion? EAT MORE SEA SALT. DO NOT use table salt…ever. Low-salt and table salt diets contribute to heart attacks, diabetes, polycystic ovaries and obesity. They also promote toxicity and makes your body have an acidic pH, which is not good. That means gatorade is NOT replenishing. It’s better to take a dash of sea salt with water before and/or after exercising.
Hello all. First, I would like to say that this site is absolutely amazing. I have never felt so touched in my life. I too suffer from hair loss. I cannot really say what the cause is because I have never been properly diagnosed–still searching for answers. I have been to many doctors and have had many blood tests only to get back normal results (which I guess is good) but how can this be? What really amazes me is when I discuss may hair loss with my doctor, whom ever it may be that day –Endo., Derm., GP., they never seem to really want to help or maybe they just don’t know. I have spent so much money on so many different doctors and it is as if they all go by the same book. Where does one go to seek answers? It really is a sad situation. I believe that all the doctors that I go to must be going through the same type of training and education. Maybe I need to go to a doctor that just got out of med school and hope and pray that he/she learned something new instead of the norm–Purchase Men’s Rogaine….Jeez.
I’m 42 and I noticed my front top and sides thinning about a year ago – a lot coming out when brushing after washing. I went to the doctor who happened to be African-American (I’m caucasion) and she actually asked me if I wore “corn rows” a lot! Needless to say, she was worthless and just prescribed me something for dandruff, which I do not have! I went to an endocrinologist to see if my thyroid or menopause was the problem – tests turned out honky dorie! Now I can see through the top of my head when the sun shines on it (scar-y) and I’m having to cover over the temple areas with sweeps of hair from the other side (interesting, the right side is much thinner). I will say that I’ve gone through hell and back with a mentally ill young adult but if it was stress, wouldn’t it have come out quicker than just in the last year (I’ve been dealing with his illness for 7 years now)?? I’ve heard that sometimes it takes 2 or 3 blood tests and doctors to finally see that one has thyroid problems. Is this the experience of others, and would I be throwing my money away by seeing my general practitioner? Hi Everyone I thought I was the only person with major hairloss because everywhere I look all I see is beautiful heads of hair. I am 34 years old and my hair started thinning 7 months ago at first I thought it was just my ponytail getting thinner but my hair became horrible with split ends and dryness too (I have always had extremely healthy hair and never had split ends) – I thought I had burnt my hair using a straightener and that’s why it was thinning. However it has gotten worse and worse and I finally visited a doctor. I have had full blood tests for thyroid issues, hormone levels, cholesterol etc etc all were perfectly normal, I had a thyroid antibody test which was at the high end of normal but still within normal range, I had a thyroid function test which was within normal limits however he thought I did have some slight inflammation ie thyroiditis. My doctor said this isn’t causing the hair loss either. I have loads of energy, don’t get tired, eat well am normal weight range the only other thing I have noticed is my eyelashes seem stunted in growth (not thinned out though) and my eyebrows have thinned on the outer edges. My last two nails on both hands have a dark (looks like they have lifted slight) strip just below the white nail part. I am booked to have a stress test, pelvic ultrasound and to see an endocrinologist also to rule out all other possible reasons for hairloss. I am now getting to the point of embarrassment to go out it is soooo thin on top particularly on one side of temple and majorly down the centre where I used to part my hair. HELPPPPPP!!!!! Interesting. After reading these posts, I called a dermatologist in the Houston, TX area asking for an appt. and whether he prescribes medication for hair loss in women. I mentioned Spironolactone. He told the nurse that he does not, and that it can actually cause hair loss. This is exactly the frustration we all experience. You hear a different opinion from each Dr. and don’t know what the right answer is. If anyone knows of a good endocrinologist in Houston, please let me know. I’ve been losing hair for about 5 yrs (now 39 yrs) and have to use hair-loc extensions just to feel confidence when in public. I did not see much about Propecia in these posts. Have any women taken it w/ much success? Thank you Diana. If you find out any more information, I would appreciate it. I have a dermatologist across the street from the Skin and Cancer Institute. I’m still not sure who to start with, the dermatologist or an endocronologist. I left a message for my PCP today to see if she is comfortable working with female hair loss or if not if she could refer me to someone who specializes in it. I will let you know what I hear back. In the meantime, thanks for your support. Take care.
I am 30 and am trying Rogaine and spironolactone but only stopped the loss and I want to try Propecia. I know about the side effects for a male fetus, but I have chosen myself that I do not ever want to create a child out of my body. I will adopt or foster, but have intense lockeophobia. I even agreed to sign a legal document saying such, but my doctor would still not prescribe me propecia unless I had had a hysterectomy. He said it was for safety reasons, but as far as I understand it the only safety issue would be to such a fetus that will not exist. So I am confused about his reservations. Avacor Physicians Formulation® for Men, Bosley Professional Strength Hair Regrowth Treatment for Men, Follinox-5 Hair Loss Treatment, Kirkland Minoxidil Extra Strength for Men 5% Topical Solution, Leminox for Men, Lipogaine for Men, Lipogaine for Men Sensitive, Men’s Rogaine Extra Strength, Nioxin Minoxidil 5% Hair Regrowth Treatment Extra Strength for Men, Perfect Hair 5% Minoxidil for Men, REDKEN Cerafil Retaliate 5% Hair Regrowth Treatment for Men

My hopes and prayers are for all of us… that somewhere a doctor, an organic chemist, SOMEONE… ANYONE… will care enough to actually research this. Thank you, all of you, for your tears, suggestions and sharing. I WILL NOT WEAR A WIG… WHAT LIES BEHIND US, WHAT LIES AHEAD OF US, PALES IN COMPARISON TO WHAT IS INSIDE OF US. WE ARE STRONG, VIBRANT… WE WILL PREVAIL.

Also my energy levels are high. I remember that at the beginning i did heavy cardio and interval training which helped me lose weight fast but i did not realize how biotin played a part in my weight loss until AFTER i stopped working out. I continue to take biotin every day and now that I am no longer on my diet i eat whatever i want and i don't gain weight. It appears the biotin may be keeping my metabolism to the level it was at during my training. So i highly recommend it to you. For me the best is www.certifiedbiotin.com my friends also use this one.

I would just like to spare anyone else In Los Angeles thinking about going to see the dermatologist who supposedly specializes in hair lossat UCLA (Dr Strick or something like that I think is his name) He is the most insensitive and uncaring Dr. I have ever met. After waiting close to 2 hours after my scheduled appt to see him. He gave me some xeroxed copy of an article on T E that was out of Glamour or Cosmopolitan or some Fashion magazine like that. He asked no questions. I wasnt even there for 10minutes but when I showed him a big bag of hair which I saved, that had fallen out in the past several weeks. He just very insensitively told me it was T E and it would grow back-basically like just get over it, then he gave me the bums rush out the door.
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"Firstly, even the very good ones won’t get to the root of the issue - pardon the pun - and prevent or treat male or female pattern baldness which is caused by genetics, nor deal with hormonal issues at the heart of female hair loss. But they can help make the hair you do have stronger and healthier. And they can be useful in putting a hair loss regime in place, along with medication like Minoxidil or Finasteride and/ or a hair transplant.

I had embolization and an angiogram for an AVM on my jaw. I was told there would be some hair loss because of the radiation (The size of a quarter). Well I have lost all but 1/3 of my hair left …not the area of a quarter! Has anyone ever had this happen? My doctor says the hair should grow back, but it has been three months and it is still coming out and no new growth. I don’t know what to do! Any suggestion? As with many women my hair was a part of my identity. I am not bragging but people remember me as the girl with all the hair. I realize we are more than our hair, but it makes me so sad! I have used Rogaine (5% – the real risk is if your pregnant, or trying to get pregnant. I didn’t think there was a point to taking “women” rogaine which is a 2% solution). You can buy this in sam’s club with no prescription. I think it may have caused some stabilization but it was hard for me to use it because it would make my hair oily and the thinning would appear worse. So I use it randomly and not twice a day as it should be used.
To us, that meant any product with zero proven ingredients, case studies, or FDA clearance — which shrunk our list by a whopping 180 contenders. That’s right, there are only three treatments that have actually been cleared by the FDA and supported with clinical studies: finasteride (commonly marketed as Propecia), minoxidil, and laser treatments. And, since finasteride is prescription-only, it left us with two.

I had embolization and an angiogram for an AVM on my jaw. I was told there would be some hair loss because of the radiation (The size of a quarter). Well I have lost all but 1/3 of my hair left …not the area of a quarter! Has anyone ever had this happen? My doctor says the hair should grow back, but it has been three months and it is still coming out and no new growth. I don’t know what to do! Any suggestion? As with many women my hair was a part of my identity. I am not bragging but people remember me as the girl with all the hair. I realize we are more than our hair, but it makes me so sad!

My hopes and prayers are for all of us… that somewhere a doctor, an organic chemist, SOMEONE… ANYONE… will care enough to actually research this. Thank you, all of you, for your tears, suggestions and sharing. I WILL NOT WEAR A WIG… WHAT LIES BEHIND US, WHAT LIES AHEAD OF US, PALES IN COMPARISON TO WHAT IS INSIDE OF US. WE ARE STRONG, VIBRANT… WE WILL PREVAIL. Side effects and concerns: Minoxidil is safe, but it can have unpleasant side effects even apart from the alcohol-related skin irritation. Sometimes the new hair differs in color and texture from surrounding hair. Another risk is hypertrichosis — excessive hair growth in the wrong places, such as the cheeks or forehead. (This problem is more likely with the stronger 5% solution.) Try and find a doctor that seems to care about women’s hair loss, and understands the emotional devastation it causes. I don’t want my doctor to dismiss my hair loss, and I don’t want him/her to tell me it’s no big deal. It is a big deal and if your doctor makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, they he/she is not for you. If possible try and speak with the doctor by phone (believe it or not some doctors will talk to you on the phone first) and if the rules of the office don’t permit this then try and ask as many questions to the receptionist, such as, does Dr. X see a lot of women for hair loss? Does he order blood work? What does he usually prescribe for treatment? The reality of that last question is that their is no “usual treatment” every woman is different and hopefully the receptionist tells you something to that effect. I don’t want to see a doctor that prescribes Rogaine as his/her first line of defense even before making a proper diagnosis with blood work or any other necessary tests. I firmly believe you should not be walking out with a bottle of Rogaine the first day of your appointment. Sure the doctor can probably be able to tell if your hair is experiencing miniaturization, but what about the blood work to determine the causes? Rogaine may be the right treatment for you, but I’d like to know why.
I understand how you feel, I really do. I’ve spent so much time crying that I’m certain all my tears could have filled up an olympic size swimming pool by now. You must not give up hope, even when it seems there is none. It is so important. Without that I don’t know how I would get by. Once you say what city/state you are in, I really hope someone can recommend a good doctor. I think that is part of your despair, that you haven’t really been heard out by a physician and received the bloodwork you want and are entitled to.